[TR] Los Alamos area rock- 11/10/2006

[skykilo]

Climb: Los Alamos area rock-

 

Date of Climb: 11/10/2006

 

Trip Report:

I spent most of last November in Los Alamos. There wasn't (and still isn't) any snow in New Mexico, but I was lucky enough to go rock climbing a few times while I was there. There's a ton of really fun rock climbing everywhere in New Mexico. No alpine or wilderness like Washington, but it sure is nice to be able to climb in the warm sun on a nice day any time of year.

 

I drove around the Jemez Mountains with Michelle. We were looking for Cochiti Mesa but couldn't find it. I hiked through some scratchy brush and found a random appealing dihedral. It was a fun lead, but scary placing gear in volcanic tuff. I belayed Michelle to the top of the canyon just as a thunderstorm hit.

 

Sky leads a random corner.

 

Really cool formations off a mesa in the Jemez Mountains

 

We climbed at another spot in the Jemez Mountains too.

 

Roadside sport climbing high in the Jemez Mountains

 

We went to the Sandias but it was just way too cold. The really cool thing about the Sandias is that you drive to the top, over 10k, then hike down the mountain to the base of your climb. Looks like lots of adventurous climbing there.

 

Finally we went to the Overlook at White Rock, just 10 miles down the road from Los Alamos. The Overlook is a park that overlooks the Rio Grande and the Sangre De Cristo mountains. Lots of fun, steep trad and sport climbing on basalt columns. The climbing pictures all looked crappy, but here are a couple to show the scenery and rock. Thanks for the heads-up about the Overlook JayB, sorry I don't have better pictures!

 

Views of the Rio Grande and the Sangre de Cristos on the hike to the cragging at the Overlook

 

Standard column at the Overlook. All the sport climbs kicked my ass, but the cracks were fun to lead.

 

Oh yeah, I had a good time doing easy hikes up some 12k peaks there too.

 

[John Frieh]

Nice!

 

Did you work with a Jeff B while you were down there?

[skykilo]

I don't recall ever meeting a Jeff Beelzebub. You gotta watch out dropping LANL names on the web man, they'll totally come erase us.

[DirtyHarry]

This has to be the record for time lag b/w trip and report.

 

Looks cool though. Some good dear huntin terrain too, I bet.

[olyclimber]

everyone knows you're a smart guy Sky, but time travel? I need to borrow that machine. Looks like a fun time.

[Cobra_Commander]

looks like it will be a great trip!

[skykilo]

Oh yeah I wasn't supposed to reveal the time-travel-for-national-defense research program.

oly please delete this thread before the men in black suits come get me!

[olyclimber]

There are some people in black suits headed toward my cube right now! If I don't post again thenala;lskjaeacsfgasa;aa;.

[skykilo]

So I managed to thrutch my way up some overhanging, off-width 5.9 there at the Overlook. On the ground again, I go talk to this couple who were both just firing up 5.12 face climbs. I couldn't have gotten one bolt on these crimpy climbs. I'm talking to them and at some point in the conversation they both say in agreement,

 

"Yeah, trad climbing freaks us out."

[ivan]

This has to be the record for time lag b/w trip and report.

 

i think that sky was just too busy defending us from quantum evil-doers and nano-terrorists